Chongqing 重庆
Chongqing is a vertical riverfront megacity known for hotpot, night views and steep lanes where the Yangtze and Jialing rivers meet. First-timers should base around Jiefangbei or Guanyinqiao, use the metro for cross-city trips, and plan around heat, hills and long walking transfers.
Sights in Chongqing
Hongya Cave 洪崖洞
Three Gorges Museum 重庆中国三峡博物馆
Chongqing People's Grand Hall 重庆市人民大礼堂
Eling Park 鹅岭公园
Yangtze River Cableway 长江索道
Raffles City Chongqing 重庆来福士
Yikeshu Observation Deck 一棵树观景台
Luohan Temple 罗汉寺
Chongqing Zoo 重庆动物园
Chongqing Natural History Museum 重庆自然博物馆
Chongqing Planning Exhibition Hall 重庆市规划展览馆
Dazu Rock Carvings 大足石刻
Diaoyu Fortress 钓鱼城
Jinyun Mountain 缙云山
Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street 解放碑步行街
Ciqikou Ancient Town 磁器口古镇
Liziba Monorail Station 李子坝站
Chaotianmen Square 朝天门广场
Nanbin Road 南滨路
Prices are approximate and hours change. Sights without a page haven't been checked yet.
Where to stay
Jiefangbei 解放碑
The central business and hotel district puts you within walking distance of Hongya Cave, Chaotianmen and the cableway.
Good for: first-time visitors, night views, shopping, transit access
Guanyinqiao 观音桥
A lively Jiangbei commercial hub with strong metro links, plenty of restaurants and a more local nightlife feel.
Good for: food, shopping, nightlife, mid-range hotels
Shapingba 沙坪坝
A university and railway-station area with good-value hotels and fast trains to Chengdu.
Good for: budget travellers, rail connections, Ciqikou access
Getting there
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport 重庆江北国际机场
From T3 take Metro Line 10 and transfer to Line 6/2 for Jiefangbei, about 50-60 min, ¥7-8; from T2 use Line 3. Taxi/Didi to central hotels takes 40-60 min and costs about ¥80-120.
Chongqing North Railway Station 重庆北站
Major high-speed and conventional rail hub; Metro Lines 3, 4 and 10 connect it to central Chongqing in roughly 20-30 min.
Chongqing West Railway Station 重庆西站
Main high-speed station for trains to Chengdu, Guiyang and beyond; Metro Line 5 and the Loop Line serve it, but allow 40-50 min to Jiefangbei.
Shapingba Railway Station 沙坪坝站
Convenient for Chengdu-Chongqing high-speed trains; integrated with Metro Lines 1 and 9 and the Loop Line, close to Ciqikou.
Getting around
Metro
most cross-city trips and river crossings
Use Alipay/WeChat transport QR or buy a single ticket; Lines 1, 2, 3, 6 and 10 cover most sights.
Taxi/Didi
hilly last-mile trips, nights, luggage
Give a nearby mall, hotel or metro exit as the landmark, not just a street address.
Bus
local routes where metro is indirect
Announcements are usually in Chinese only; watch your stop on the map.
Walking/stairs
old-town lanes, Hongya Cave, Ciqikou
Chongqing is vertical: a short map distance may mean stairs, escalators or a many-floor level change.
Shared bike
short flat riverside or park stretches only
Not practical for most of the city because of steep hills and heavy traffic.
Good to know
- Alipay accepts Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Discover and Diners cards. Payments under ¥200 carry no Alipay service fee; payments of ¥200 or more carry a 3% fee. Verify your passport in the app to raise limits. Source
- A travel eSIM or home SIM on roaming reaches Google, WhatsApp and Instagram without a VPN; a Chinese SIM or hotel Wi-Fi does not. Keep your home SIM active for SMS codes. Source
- Chongqing’s map is misleading: a 300 m walk may involve stairs or a 10-floor level change, so use metro exits and ask for the street-level entrance.
- At hotpot, dipping oil, tissues and sometimes seating are charged separately; confirm before ordering and ask for 鸳鸯锅 (yuānyāngguō) if you need mild.
- Summer is brutally humid; schedule indoor or early-morning activities and carry water. Winter is damp and most homes lack central heating, so pack layers.
- For taxis and Didi, give a landmark or mall entrance rather than a street address; drivers often cannot stop on narrow or steep roads.
- The Yangtze River Cableway can have long queues; go early or skip it and use Metro Line 6 for river views. Ciqikou is extremely crowded on weekends.
What to eat in Chongqing
重庆火锅
Chóngqìng huǒguō
Chongqing hotpot · Beef-tallow spicy broth; order 鸳鸯锅 if you need a mild half.
重庆小面
Chóngqìng xiǎomiàn
Chongqing small noodles · Chilli-oil noodles; ask for 素小面 for a vegetarian version.
酸辣粉
Suānlàfěn
Hot-and-sour sweet potato noodles · Chewy noodles in vinegar-chilli broth; confirm no meat topping.
毛血旺
Máoxuèwàng
Duck blood curd in chilli broth · A spicy offal-and-blood curd dish, not for mild palates.
辣子鸡
Làzǐjī
Chongqing spicy chicken · Deep-fried chicken hidden in dried chillies.
万州烤鱼
Wànzhōu kǎoyú
Wanzhou grilled fish · Whole fish grilled then simmered in spicy broth.
豆花饭
Dòuhuāfàn
Tofu pudding with rice · Soft tofu with rice and dipping sauce; a simple vegetarian meal.
红油抄手
Hóngyóu chāoshǒu
Wontons in chilli oil · Pork wontons in fragrant red oil; usually not vegetarian.
Weather by season
| Months | Day | Night | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar-May | 23 °C | 15 °C | mild, rainy and often overcast |
| Jun-Aug | 34 °C | 26 °C | hot, humid and famously oppressive |
| Sep-Nov | 24 °C | 16 °C | cooling down, grey and damp |
| Dec-Feb | 10 °C | 6 °C | damp cold with little indoor heating |
Typical averages, not a forecast.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Chongqing?
Mar-May and Sep-Nov
Which sights in Chongqing should I book in advance?
Hongya Cave, Chongqing People's Grand Hall, Yangtze River Cableway, Raffles City Chongqing, Yikeshu Observation Deck, Chongqing Zoo, Chongqing Planning Exhibition Hall, Dazu Rock Carvings, Diaoyu Fortress, Jinyun Mountain.
Which airports serve Chongqing?
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport (CKG).
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